Tomcat's 1/72 Academy A-10A Thunderbolt II "Killer Chick"

[Tomcat64]

Look at dem teef! Your build is making me want a Warthog...

Look at dem teef! Your build is making me want a Warthog...

Yea, me too, I got an old Revell 1998 Thunderbolt II that just keeps calling me every-time I look at Neil's progress!

[DrSprue]

Look at dem teef! Your build is making me want a Warthog...

Look at dem teef! Your build is making me want a Warthog...

Yea, me too, I got an old Revell 1998 Thunderbolt II that just keeps calling me every-time I look at Neil's progress!

Now thats just evil!!

[Tomcat64]

Time for a quick update after a productive weekend.

I applied a couple more layers of decal solution and then sealed everything up with Alclad Aqua Gloss. Then because I wanted a fairly dirty finish I sprayed over with AK Ultra Matte so that upcoming clay wash would leave residue the same way I use it on AFVs. The aforementioned dark dirt clay wash was then liberally applied and then manipulated - here's the A-10 part way through the process


The grime on the panels isn't showing up too much in the photos but hopefully I'll be able to sort that when I get the grown up camera out for the final reveal shots; anyway here's the dewashed result


After sealing that with Ultra Matte again I flipped her over and added the stores - the instructions just call these out in olive drab with no markings at all so I went with that


A couple of the panel lines weren't deep enough for the clay to stick so I picked out a couple of them by hand with a fine brush, and then applied yet another layer of ultra matte


Then it was time to open up the canopy, I always run a scalpel along the edges of the tape to make sure they separate cleanly from the model. I had a problem previously with (IIRC) Vallejo Polyurethane matt varnish that formed a seal so when I pulled the tape away it pulled a segment of varnish with it. I also picked out the wing-tip nav lights and the gun.


So that's the lightning done Ladies and Gentlemen - here's Killer Chick (or Chicken Killer as Mrs Tomcat calls her!)


With the A-10 and T-72 done I just need to work out how to base them and with a bit of luck and a following wind I might have this one done by the end of the week.

Thanks for looking!

[DrSprue]

Oh man Neil, that A10 is a KILLER piece of aircraft, and you blew this out of the water... my God what an amazing display of armament... Done so well!!

Really its like looking over the fence and few years ago and seeing that A10 parked at Barnes airport when a buddy of mine was doing work on them.... jeez, exactly the same thing as well.... I think most of them was parked at west-over air-force base nearby, but that was a while ago. They went to Barnes for repairs, now all F15's and such.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Two words: LOVE IT

[ElCapitan]

Looks ready for business, awesome work!

[Tomcat64]

Oh man Neil, that A10 is a KILLER piece of aircraft, and you blew this out of the water... my God what an amazing display of armament... Done so well!!

Really its like looking over the fence and few years ago and seeing that A10 parked at Barnes airport when a buddy of mine was doing work on them.... jeez, exactly the same thing as well.... I think most of them was parked at west-over air-force base nearby, but that was a while ago. They went to Barnes for repairs, now all F15's and such.

Two words: LOVE IT

Looks ready for business, awesome work!

Thanks guys - really appreciate it

[Lysus]

The A10 looks amazing. Well done, man.

[Tomcat64]

The A10 looks amazing. Well done, man.

Thanks mate!

[Tomcat64]

Following a couple more productive evenings this week I think I'm close to being done with this one.

So work on the base started with a Games Workshop flying base and a length of Perspex rod - the 3mm rod is just slightly bigger than the hole in the base so it was opened up using a needle file.


Then with a little trial and error I located the rough centre of gravity for the A10 and carefully drilled out the hole for the rod with a pin vice and successively larger drill bits


At this point I'd cut a length of 7inches for the rod which was a little unstable and also as it turns out too high for the effect I'm after - but she does look good up there


So the rod was gradually trimmed back to where it wanted it - about 5 inches in the end. I then cut out a six in square of foam-board and mocked up what I was aiming for


After drawing around the outline of the base and tank tracks with a pencil I cut around the corners of the board to soften the effect. Then glued the base in place using PVA, coated the whole thing with Tamiya light sand textured paint, and added some boulders. This is an early shot which shows the flying base still showing through the textured paint.


I gradually added more layers of textured paint and additional boulders. When that was done I started using MIG pigments Gulf War Sand in varying mixes to add some tonal variation - some mixed with water, some with thin PVA and also a thicker PVA mix with dry powder scattered on top. This is partway through the process.


The tracks were also treated with the water mix


And then wiped down when dry


I then attached the lower hull to the base and made up a mix of small scenic slate (which I think came from GW years ago), thin PVA and Humbrol Smoke pigments to build up the debris around the impact point


This didn't set particularly well so I dribbled some thin CA (Roket Hot) to set it down. This reacted with something which left a white/grey ashy effect which wasn't planned but I'll take it anyway!


So there we have it - I think that's the base done


So I dropped the upper hull in place to have a look


All that I need to do now is install the rod and attach the A-10 to the top of it and I'll show that in the final reveal.

Thanks for looking and all your support during this build - it's all very much appreciated!

[DrSprue]

Wow, that A10 looks like she's in flight!! Very cool Neil! very very cool, and I have to ask, which one of those missiles took out that Tank near the tires!!

[Tomcat64]

Wow, that A10 looks like she's in flight!! Very cool Neil! very very cool, and I have to ask, which one of those missiles took out that Tank near the tires!!

Thanks Tony - really glad you like it & thanks for your support through the build

As for what took the tank out well the A-10 has a couple of empty pylons so I guess she sorted that out on an earlier pass

[snowman819]

Thats looking awesome.Really love what your doing and look forward to seeing it completed.

[Tomcat64]

Thats looking awesome.Really love what your doing and look forward to seeing it completed.

Thanks mate - it's all done

If you want to take a look then the reveal thread is here